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Janakpur is an in-laws of Lord Rama. Janakpur also known as Janakpurdham is a birth place of Goddess Sita, wife of Lord Ram. It was the land and kingdom town of King Janak , father of Sita. Janaki is another name of Sita. Lord Ram and Sita got married after winning the Bow competition by Ram, the competition or Bet was organized by King Janak. It is one of the oldest towns in the world and religious place founded early in 18th century B.C.
Janakpur is a metropolitan city situated in Dhanusha District of province No. 2 of Nepal. Janakpur is also the capital city of Province no. 2. It is about 225 km South-East from Kathmandu. It is located very close to Nepal India Boarder which is just about 15 km from Pipraun, Village of Bihar India.
History of Janakpur
Founded in the early 18th century BC, Janakpur was a kingdom ruled by King Janak. There is a believe that King Janak found a baby girl, named Sita also known as Sita Maiya in his farming field and given her name, raised her as his own daughter. Another popular name of Sita is Janaki as a daughter of King Janak. One day King Janak Saw his daughter Sita, lifting the Shiv Dhanush (Bow weapon given by Lord Shiva to the King Janak) while cleaning. The Shiva Dhanush was Bow of Lord Shiv given to King Janak which enabled him to win many wars to protect his kingdom as well as win over other small kingdoms. It took years for King Janak to get the powerful weapon after heavy devotional practice and exercise. He got amazed by her power as she was just 7 years old and the Bow was really heavy and very famous warriors also had to go to lord Shiva for his blessings to get the bow and power in order to carry and operate the weapon. The King Janak realized that she is not just a human being like us since she was found in the field and she simply could lift the heavy and powerful bow in her very young age. When she becomes ready for marriage king Janak made a program announcing - anyone who is able to lift the bow of Lord Shiva, can get marry with her. Many warriors including some of well known princes from other kingdoms failed to lift the bow but finally Lord Ram carried the bow and was about to lift the rope to make ready for the operation, suddenly it broken down in three parts. He won the battle and Sita as well. This story can be read in Hindu Epic Myth Ramayana. Hindus from all over the world make their way to Janakpur to worship lord Shiva, Lord Rama and Sita Maiya.
Janaki Mandir (Mandir is Temple in local Nepali Language) is the central attraction followed by Ram Mandir and Shiva mandir in Janakpur along with other monuments and palaces. The Janaki Mandir temple is also known as Nau Lakhe Mandir since it was built in 9 lakhs rupees at that time. 9 Lakhs is 900,000 in local Nepali and Hindi Languages. The temple is built in Rajasthani style with combination of lots of colors by Queen Birsha Bhanu of Tikamgarh India.
Major Festivals Celebrated in Janakpur
Vivah Panchami
Vivah Panchami is one of the major festivals of Janakpur, celebrating every year marking the marriage anniversary of Lord Ram and Sita. Vivah means Marriage in local native language of Nepal and India. Panchami means fifth day of every dark and full moon period. Vivah Panchami celebrated in the month of December on the fifth day of full moon day. During the festival full Janakpurdham decorates by the lights, flags, gates and many other decorating items. Thousands of devotees, tourists march towards Janakpurdham from Ayodhya, the home town of Lord Ram as they are arriving to take the bride, Sita Maiya. Hindus and other tourists from all over the world arrive to witness the marriage ceremony of Lord Ram and SIta in Janaki Temple, Janakpur every year.
Chhath
Chhath or Chath is a traditional festival of Janakpur and it is one of the greatest festivals of Miithila people. It is widely celebrated in Janakpur and the terai region of Nepal as well as UP, Vihar and Jharkhand states of India. These days the numbers of devotees are increasing as the festival is being celebrated in Kathmandu and other cities of Nepal. Chhat is celebrated in the month of November dedicated to Lord Surya (the Sun) and Usha, also known as Chhathi Maiya.
Chhat festival is celebrated in the month of 6th day of Kartik month of Hindu calendar which falls in October-November in English calendar. The festival mainly celebrated for four days. People keep fasting for continuously 36 hours with or with out water as per own interest. Specially one woman from one house keep the fasting and engage on special Puja whereas other men are also equally participate in fasting and Puja. Devotees do holy bathing, fasting and make offerings to the Setting and Rising Sun, gathering at banks of rivers.
Key Places to visit in Janakpur
Janaki Mandir
Janaki Mandir is the biggest temple of Nepal which is situated in province no. 2 of Dhanusha District. It is constructed in 1911 A.D by Queen Bhirsha Bhanu Tikamgarh, India. Now it is considered as a religiously important monument and heritage sites. It is a place where sita was born and she spent her life until marriage to this place. A well-known poet and the saint, Sanyasi Shurkishordas is also a founder of Janakpur where he found a golden statue of sita at the site in 1657 which makes this place popular.
Ram Mandir
Ram Mandir situated in province no. 2 of dhanusha district is the oldest temple. The temple is built in late 1700s by Amar Sign Thapa. It is a traditional Pagoda style temple which is located south east from Janaki Mandir. There are many temples; the main temple is dedicated to lord Ram where other small temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. There is crowd of people in the early evening when the courtyard is filled with incense smoke and music.
Jaleshwar
Jaleshwar is a small municipality of Nepal which borders India and Bihar. Every year, during the months of July and August thousands of people from the world come here to pay respect to lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. From the view of historical site and cultural attraction the place attracts other.
It is 18.3 km south from Janakpur and takes time about 40 minutes. We can go there by means of transportation like minibus, rickshaw, Bikes and many more.
Ram Sita Vivah Mandap
It is a place where lord Ram and goddess Sita got married which is located southwest from Janaki Mandir. Ram and Sita got married on Marga Sulka Panchami so that Marga Sulka Panchami is called vivah panchami. The temple is decorated as real marriage Mandap. There is a festival called Vivah Panchami, celebrating every year marking the marriage anniversary of Lord Ram and Sita. Vivah means Marriage in local native language of Nepal and India. Panchami means fifth day of every dark and full moon period. Vivah Panchami celebrated in the month of December on the fifth day of full moon day. During the festival full Ram Sita Vivah Mandap is decorated by the lights, flags, gates and many other decorating items. Thousands of devotees, tourists march towards it from Ayodhya, the home town of Lord Ram as they are arriving to take the bride, Sita Maiya. Hindus and other tourists from all over the world arrive to witness the marriage ceremony of Lord Ram every year.
Ganga Sagar
Ganga Sagar is a huge and famous lake located close to Janakmahal in Janakpur. The biggest festival of terai Chath is also celebrated in this pond. Woman bath and pray there to get long life of their husband and sons. The water of this pond never gets dried up and according to beliefs, water from 7 seas and other place is collected so that the name of this pond is Ganga Sagar.
Dhanush Sagar
Dhanus Sagar is a place where the bow that Ram has lifted up was kept. It is 1 km far from the Janaki Temple. At present, there is a lake in the place with few bathing ghats built around the lake for public. In that place, many people sell flowers and other religious object for Puja. We can see many devotee takes baths and organize puja there.
Ratna Sagar Temple
Ratna Sagar Temple is another important temple of Janakpur where there is a fearful pond near the temple. The temple is tall and surrounded with gaden and it is about 2 km far from the center of the city which is dedicated to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. . Many people go there to worship Lord Ram and Goddess Sita.
Getting Janakpur from your place
Are you wondering how can you reach to Janakpur from your place? Here are few options for you to reach Janakpur from Kathmandu and Ayodhya, the home town of Lord Ram.
Getting Janakpur from Kathmandu
By Air
There is a regular daily flight from Kathmandu to Janakpur. It takes you just 30 minutes to reach to Janakpur from Kathmandu via flight.
By Road
Regular Bus goes to Janakpur from New Bus Park, Gongabu Kathmandu which takes you around 9-10 hours to reach your destination. Though the Janakpur is just 124 km far from Kathmandu but the road distance is about 222 km from Kathmandu.
You have another option which will be quite short. If you go by private car or taxy; you can reach Janakpur in 6-7 hours via Dhulikhel-Ramechhap, an alternate way to reach to Janakpur from Kathmandu.
We, Shepherd Holidays have our own fleet service, you can ask us if you would like to go to Janakpur from Kathmandu.
Getting Janakpur from India
By Air
There are regular flights from different airports connecting Bihar, India. Jay Prakash Narayan Airport, Patna, Muzaffarpur Airport, Pakahi Khas, Darbhanga Airport, Bihatwara are the airports in India nearby the Janakpur. Then you can go by road/train transportation to Janakpur. You have another option to fly directly to Kathmandu from your city and take a domestic plane to reach Janakpur.
By Road
You can reach Sitamari or any other places of Nepal India Boarder then take a taxi or car to reach to Janakpur form your native place. From Sitamari it is just 30 km distance to reach to Janakpur. You can get other options after reaching the boarder.
By Train
You can directly reach to Janakpur via Train from Jayanagar. This is just 69 km long railway.
Getting Janakpur from Ayodhya
You have plenty of options to reach Janakpur from Ayodhya. You can choose any means of transportation which suites you to reach to Nepal India Boarder of We can go to Janakpur by air and land transportation. The distance of Ayodhya to Janakpur is 517.7 km and takes around 10 hours from Ayodhya.
